The Opposite of Death
by aregrettablechoiceofwords
Summary: In which Nico realises he can feel a new life.


Nico was looking at Annabeth strangely. She didn't know why. He eyed her from the corner of the room with his glass in hand. Everyone else was dancing; it was a wedding after all. Hazel and Frank – the bride and groom were dancing, Piper and Jason were dancing, Leo and Calypso were dancing and various other couples were dancing. Percy was at the bar buying two more drinks, there was a long queue and he was at the back so he could take a while much to Annabeth's frustration. She didn't want to stand there all alone with a nineteen year old Nico eyeing her suspiciously, a Nico who had disappeared for five years and only just come back and no-one knew why. Annabeth suspected Hazel knew since she was the only one he kept in contact with, one letter every three months, but who knows with Nico di Angelo?

Annabeth decided to stop worrying about why Nico was staring at her and started worrying about how she was going to tell Percy. She didn't know if she was going to tell him yet since she wasn't exactly sure but she was pretty sure she was pregnant. They hadn't been trying but it looked like she was. She was kind of glad Nico was eyeing her because it took the worry off her mind for a little, now it was back. She requested Percy get her non-alcoholic drinks and she didn't have to worry about Percy noticing these little things because Percy was, well Percy. She didn't call him Seaweed Brain for nothing, some days she wondered if his brain actually was there or if it was just a wad of seaweed but to give him credit he was actually smarter than he looked, just sometimes pretty oblivious.

She had ran away with her thoughts so she jumped when Nico asked 'Can I, can I talk to you Annabeth?'

Oh shit. What was he going to say, he'd been looking at her strangely for a good few minutes with some confused glances throughout the wedding. He looked like he was trying to figure something out but why was he looking at Annabeth? Hopefully she was going to find out. 'Yeah, sure. What do you want Nico?' She said as kindly as she could turning to look at him in the eye. He still looked confusedly at her.

'Are you okay Annabeth?' He said slowly and deliberately. He looked at her, his eyes full of concern, what could that be about.

'Why wouldn't I be okay?' She giggled.

'Well, it's just … I can feel something on you. I can sense Death but not Death, like the opposite of death.' He let out, clearly frustrated by not being able to distinguish what the feeling was.

'Like life?' Annabeth asked. The awnser was pretty obvious. 'Have you had a bit too much to drink, because I think you have.' Annabeth took the glass out of Nico's hand.'

'No, I haven't' He snapped and took the glass back. 'It's like you're dying but the opposite, but not life, more opposite than that, I don't know how to describe it. At first I thought you were dying but I looked at you and you were okay. It feels slow and I can still feel it but you're still okay but after a while, I realised that it's not like Death at all, it's the opposite but not living because that's just normal.' Nico stamped his foot and put his hand against his forehead. 'What IS it? I've never felt it before. Not like this, this strong. Not on anyone I know.'

'How am I supposed to know what it is, I can't feel it.'

'ughh! Why?' then a lightbulb seemed to come on in Nico's head. He opened his eyes and looked at Annabeth frantically. 'Are you pregnant?' He asked then he smiled. 'that's what it is! The opposite of Death, new life, of course!' He exhaled. 'Of course' He whispered. His eyes lit up at his revelation and then turned serious. 'So?' He asked.

Annabeth started whispering, watching the bar as Percy could come back at any moment. 'I haven't told anyone but I think so.' Then she got a bit louder. 'By the way, that's really creepy Nico' She laughed.

'What's really creepy.' A deeper voice cut in from beside Annabeth. Percy.

Annabeth turned her head at the speed of light. 'Nothing' She said really quickly.

'You should tell him' Nico whispered in her ear and stalked off.

'Where's he going? And why do you look so shocked. Oh, and what do you have to tell me?' Percy said all at once, not giving Annabeth time to answer any of his questions.

She took a deep breath. 'Nico just told me something.' Annabeth said slowly. 'That I already suspected but he has just confirmed. He thinks I should tell you which I probably should.' She closed her eyes then opened them and looked deep into Percy's questioning oblivious eyes.

'Are you going to tell me? Or not?' He asked patiently.

She took a deep breath. 'I'm pregnant.' She breathed out. A smile worth diamonds lit up on Percy's face making his eyes sparkle. He dropped the drinks he was holding and picked Annabeth up proceeding to spin her around. Annabeth saw Nico smile at her. The drinks Percy had dropped on the floor made a loud smashing sound and everyone turned to look at them but they just carried on in their little bubble of happiness. Annabeth wasn't expecting Percy to react like this.

'That's great. That's amazing. That's the best thing I've ever heard. I love you.' He whispered in her ear as they hugged. 'I love you. I love you. I love you.' He carried on whispering then he kissed her. No-one was looking at them anymore, no-one cared why Percy had dropped the drinks but Annabeth did. 'This is the best day of my life.' He said with confirmation.

Nico came over then, with two new drinks. He put on a smile and said 'Congrats.'

'How did you know?' Percy asked him.

Nico tapped his chest where his heart would be. 'Death Radar.'

'What!?' Percy asked.

'Well, it felt like she was dying but the opposite of dying. Not life but more opposite.'

Percy took a moment to process that then said, 'That is really creepy man.' But he clapped Nico on the shoulder anyway. He grinned at Nico then.

'I'm happy for you.' Nico said and smiled, but it wasn't a real smile. There was a trace of hurt in his eyes, no-one noticed though because that trace of hurt had been almost a permanent factor in Nico's eyes since Bianca left him to join the hunters of Artemis and never came back. Nico turned and walked away, leaving Percy and Annabeth to enjoy their happy moment, not many demigods made it that far.


End file.
